Geneseo Weddings: Sweet Briar Wedding for Pete & Lisa

After a long and hot summer last year, it was a pure treat to have a mild spring day for this outdoor Sweet Briar wedding in the Finger Lakes. The wind was whipping and it was sunny and 65 degrees. A beautiful wedding day, if you ask me. Pete and Lisa were married at Sweet Briar Inn and Spa near Geneseo and we even had a gorgeous sunset. It was a small, classic and simple affair.

Lisa and Pete both got ready at the beautiful and historic Sweet Briar Inn and Spa. These logistics made it easy to capture both of them getting ready and to maximize the hours of wedding photography coverage. With this location, there is plenty of space to move around and also sneak and hide. The ceremony began as the sun was beginning it’s descent in the sky, and Pete & Lisa had a touching full ceremony over looking the valley below.

Two things really struck me about this particular wedding:

* Pete is the ONLY person in my 10 years as a wedding photographer to actually bring me a satellite printout of the location as well as a half hour by half hour diagram giving me the exact angles of the sunset. Complete with ‘magic hour’ listed. Oh, Pete, I love that you know what magic hour is and that you are planning for it with me! Gold star to you, my friend.

* Lisa looks up to Pete. Literally and figuratively. All day, I kept seeing her just look right up to Pete and just smile. Clearly he is a sense of wonder and calm for her and it shows in every image I took.

It was a really great day. All of the families and friends were really chatty and nice to work with and the day went smoothly. Two guests were telling me about their days as former wedding photographers and one gentleman said that he recently scanned his 4×5 negatives into his computer from his own wedding: 49 years ago! Oh, the stories they he had for me. Sir, I’d love to see your wedding album…

For now, here is a sneak peek at my favorite images from the wedding day. The rest will be available in 4-6 weeks and can be found by clicking the ‘store’ tab above. Enjoy!

Heather provided FANTASTIC photography services for a nonprofit fundraising event my organization held around the holidays and we were incredibly pleased with everything from beginning to end! Heather is one of the most impressive professional photographers I have ever encountered. Not only is her photographic work stunning and unique, but her business acumen is also impressive. You will absolutely be 110% satisfied with Heather McKay!

Our wedding album is my kid's favorite bedtime story and because of the vibrant images, my daughter wishes she was there!! Awe!!
This is a testament to how Heather captures real personalities and moments that are what the memory of the day really is like. You'll shove the dress into a bag in the back of your closet and forget the rest. Documentary photos are what you and your kids will cherish. Do it. You won't regret it for a second.

Where to even begin - I was recommended to check out Heather's wedding work by a family friend and our venue, The Inn on the Lake in Canandaigua. Heather was so enjoyable and helpful from start to finish. She is very realistic about how fast the wedding day goes, helped us to not get caught up in props, poses, crazy Pinterest ideas, etc... and that gave us the most authentic, perfectly "us" photos that I have ever seen! She is willing to try anything (laying on top of a moving 1961 wooden speedboat to get just the right shot) and brings a great energy to the day that puts everyone at ease. My husband, our families and friends are so very thankful that we found Heather. I highly recommend using Heather as your photographer for one of the most important and memorable days of your life!

Our review is essentially the “before” picture (the “after” to follow,) as our Wedding isn’t until May 2016. It seemed helpful to speak to how we got to and got connected with and selected ‘McKay’s Photography’.
‘McKay’s Photography’ was recommended to us by close friends who had also worked with Heather for their wedding a few years back. They spoke to both how amazing Heather is a photographer/incredible as a professional, as resource and support leading up to (and on) the day itself and also a really fun, personable person to work with. We had to reach out and chat with Heather ….
We were instantly impressed by how quickly Heather got in touch with us, after sending our initial email. She suggested setting up a phone time so that we could chat, and one that worked/was convenient for us. In that phone call, Heather spent a great deal of time with us, not only describing her work and the services she can offer, but also chatting and seemingly really trying to get a sense of us as people. We found this incredibly refreshing and a really diligent approach; you’re going to want a photographer that can put you at ease, have fun with you on the day and really get the “job” done right? We don’t have a tall order of photography “demands” or “requests” for the Wedding (that’s why you want to find and work with the best (for you) pro, right?), but Heather really made a point of making sure she could get a sense what we would want, and how she can use her own expertise to match that. She truly listened and heard, and also had questions and even great suggestions; “things to think about and explore in the coming months”.
Subsequent to that, we also then set up an “in-person” meet, at Heather’s suggestion. A major point to add here is that while our Wedding will be in the upstate NY area, we live in MA. Heather, while in Boston on other business, took time out of a packed schedule to come to us and meet in person! It's clear how invested Heather is in her work, and how important it is to her to have a good understanding of her clients as people. We had seen her website in doing our “homework”, but Heather brought samples of her work, and in the format of products she can offer after the wedding (e.g. photo books etc). She was prepared to answer any and all questions, and again brought many of her own for us (e.g. style, preferences, approach etc etc). The “in-person” conversation, as was the phone intro, was very comfortable, informative, personable and incredibly professional. Heather brings a clearly evident sense of professionalism experience and skill, while at the same time is incredibly engaging and fun and sets you right at ease.
Needless to say, there’s an overwhelming array of choices, options, selections etc etc, in planning a Wedding. We were thrilled and feel really lucky to have been connected with Heather. It’s clear she knows her field, she knows the upstate NY for geography, resources, contacts, and options we haven’t even thought about. Her website and blog has been immensely informative and helpful. She has been super accessible and keeping in contact; building the relationship with us, which again speaks to the investment she has in her work and her clients.
We “booked” ‘McKay’s Photography’ almost a year out from our Wedding (which might be the norm, but is certainly vital for someone of Heather’s caliber because her schedule isn’t going to have openings for long) and are really excited about working with Heather/'McKay's Photography'.

Heather, you took such amazing shots. I am so thrilled with the photos! Such beautiful images of the best day of my life :) And what a gift to see all of the things I missed...you gave me parts of my day I couldn't have seen any other way. You're more than a photographer, you're a keeper of precious, once-in-a-lifetime moments in this beautiful life. What a gift your talent is to me and everyone else who has the privilege of working with you!